Halfway to Anywhere Working Title
by ThePinkFaerieNinjaHobbit
Summary: Clara has an accident and wakes to find herself in Middle Earth. But nothing everything is as simple as she would have hoped.
1. Prolouge

Just a fic I'm writing involving me and my Faerie Hobbits. So it's really not to be take seriously if I'm gonna be honest. But still. If you decide to read I hope you enjoy! Again, I do not own any of the characters from Lord of the Rings. They are all J.R.R Tolkien's work. But I do own Clara because that's me and I own the other hobbits in a way because they're my hobbits!  
  
Prologue  
  
Clara sighed and sat down on the patio. The sun beat down, but as with British spring time a light breeze blew. The young girl watched the guinea pigs as the scampered around in their run, chewing the grass as if any second it would just all disappear. The mood in the garden was light but it did not lighten Clara's mood.  
  
She was bored. She'd got up early and it was still only half past 11. The days lately seemed to be dragging on. "Maybe," she had thought to herself, "Maybe if I spent most of my time sleeping then the day would come more quickly." But so far this hadn't happened. Still she woke up early and however long she lay in bed willing herself to fall back to sleep it didn't happen. So instead that morning she'd dragged herself, or rather stumbled, out of her bed and made a cup of tea. "Always important to have a caffeine dosage in the morning to keep oneself going." She muttered to no one in particular. Now she sat in the garden in her baggy jeans and bright pink top with her tenth cup of tea in her Hobbits mug set beside her, waiting to see if anything exciting would happen. It didn't.  
  
Again she sighed and picked up the book next to her. She stared hard at the cover. It was black matt and had a green circle in the centre and around that were a few designs showed up glossy. Above this were shiny letters that lit up in the sun reading, "The Return of the King". Now more that ever did Clara wish that she and The Lord of the Rings Lovers lived in Middle Earth.  
  
A fluttering of birds from the fence broke her from her concentration. Looking down the bottom of the garden she saw her cat stalking along the flowerbed. She clicked her fingers and he stopped dead, turning his eyes towards her. She stared at him for a minute and then he softly padded up. She stroked him and stared thoughtfully at the grass.  
  
"Not long now." She said to him. "Then the LOTRL's will be descending on Southend. Mithrandir save everyone who we meet." And she laughed to herself.  
  
She stood up and walked over to the run. As her shadow fell over them, the guinea pigs ran over to the other side. Clara rolled her eyes and took off the water bottle hooked onto the side. She turned back and started to walk up to the patio. But as she got a foot away something happened.  
  
Her foot caught on a dip in the grass and she fell forward, the water bottle flying from her hands. The ground rushed up and she cried out, putting her hands forward to stop her (which would have been no good anyway). Her palms slammed down hard into the gravel that lined the foot of the step. Her arms buckled under her and her head slammed down on the concrete. A sharp pain shot through her head for a moment and then everything went black. 


	2. Suprises

"Where do you suppose she's from?"  
  
"I cannot guess. But when she come too we shall find out I hope."  
  
The voices continued as Clara came too. She did not open he eyes, instead lay where she was trying to figure out whom the voices belonged to. Her head ached slightly and her mouth was dry. She breathed in deeply but as she did so her throat caught and she coughed. The voices stopped and she heard feet move near to her. Slowly she opened her eyes and blinked at the light that shined in them.  
  
When her vision cleared, she saw that to he right stood a tall man with long, straight hair, smiling down at her. He seemed familiar. Like she had seen his face somewhere before not so long ago. But she could not quite place it.  
  
"Master Frodo." The man spoke. "Would you fetch a glass of water please for our guest?"  
  
As Clara stared in wonder and bewilderment at this familiar stranger, she heard the sounds of someone filling a glass from a pitcher and cross over to where she lay. Thoughts were spinning Clara's mind. Has she heard right? Did she really hear the name correctly? Her thoughts were interrupted by the man telling her to sit up. She did so, propping herself up against the soft, down pillows. She was handed a glass of water, which she took and sipped. The man was quiet but as she lowered her glass he spoke again.  
  
"Welcome to Rivendel." He said in a clear and well-spoken voice. "I am."  
  
"Elrond?" Clara interrupted him as the voice suddenly jogged her memory and she realised who this man was.  
  
"Yes." Replied Elrond, with a look of surprise and wonder on his face. "You are in the House of Elrond."  
  
"In Rivendel." Said Clara quietly, breaking away from his gaze.  
  
Still the look stayed on his face. Clara's mind was now reeling even more.  
  
"I musta hit me head harder than I realised." Muttered Clara. "What? Um.why Am I?" Clara asked.  
  
"That is something we were hoping you could tell us." Said Elrond. "Master Frodo and his companions found you lying in some woods not far from here. They brought you immediately."  
  
As he told her this, he looked at the person who had come to stand next to him. When Clara looked her heart missed a beat.  
  
Next to the tall, slender elf (for that is what he was) stood a man at about 3 feet tall. His short, dark curly hair fell over his forehead and his bright blue eyes shined. He smiled at her. Her reaction was delayed but she smiled back.  
  
"And now that you, by some strange fate, know my name and you know Frodo's, it is for me to ask, who you are and where you were before you were brought here?"  
  
Clara paused for a moment, taking this in, when she finally spoke; her voice was slow as she tried desperately to remember what had happened.  
  
"My name is Clara." She replied and then again paused, wondering how the next piece of information would be taken. "And I don't know.how I came to be here.but what I do know is that.I don't belong here. In Middle Earth I mean." She cast her gaze up at Elrond. "I'm not from this world."  
  
There was a pause. Elrond's face was solemn and if indeed he was shocked by this news, he did not show it. Clara did not dare look at Frodo directly but out of the corner of her eyes she could see that he did not hide the surprise that he felt. Still Elrond did not speak; instead studied her face as if searching to see if what she had said was true. Clara wished that he would say something.  
  
"I do not deny that what you have just told me has come as a shock, yet at this moment I cannot say what I think." Said Elrond, as if reading he thoughts. "I shall need to discuss this matter with Gandalf. He has expressed a wish to talk with you once you had woken. He met the hobbits while they made their way here with you."  
  
Clara nodded, unable to speak.  
  
"Now I must leave you." He smiled. "I am sure that you wish to rest. You seem to have had quite a fall. Later I shall send food and then we should talk." And with that he turned and soundlessly left the room.  
  
Clara looked after him and then at Frodo, who remembered himself and smiled.  
  
"I should leave too. Elrond is right. After rest you may feel better. I believe you face many questions. I shall no doubt see you soon." And then also he followed Elrond's lead and walked out the door.  
  
And so Clara was left alone and bewildered and feeling quite lost, to try and grasp an understanding of what had just happened. 


	3. Familiar Surroundings

Clara sat quietly for a moment. The only sound was the noise of falling water and birds coming from outside. She did not feel in the least bit tired. She was more focussed on wondering what on earth was happening. Maybe it was a dream. Though it didn't feel like one. The pain certainly didn't and it was all too clear. She dug her nails into her arm and winced at the twinge that shot up her arm. Well if it was she certainly wasn't waking up. Frodo and Elrond had seemed real enough. The feeling of disbelieve from them had felt real. She took another sip of water and sighed.  
  
"Rest. As if. More like 'I'm gonna go now and leave you coz I think you're speakin absolute twodle and you're an absolute nutter.'" She muttered under her breath. "Wonder if Middle Earth has an insane asylum?"  
  
Since she had opened her eyes she had not taken in her surroundings. Now she was left alone, not in the least it tired and utterly confused with a pounding headache. Giving up trying to think of what could have happened, she looked around.  
  
She was in a large room. To the right of her were 4 large arches leading out to a large solid platform with steps leading down from them. In between two was a beautiful carved lady and trailing up all the arches were vine like carvings working their way up the ceiling eves. By the bed stood a tall eight pronged candleholder. The view was amazing, lush green hillsides and the soothing sound of water not too far away. All was peaceful and tranquil.  
  
"Everything's so different. And looks just like the film.which is weird." Muttered Clara to herself.  
  
She felt something was standing behind her. Which was strange as the only thing there was a wall. She looked up behind her.  
  
"You've got to be joking." She laughed.  
  
Behind was a woman in a flowing long dress and her arms stretched out in a welcoming gesture. Her eyes were closed and she was not smiling yet as you looked upon the face, framed by long straight hair, you felt no hostility from her.   
  
"That is one bloody good statue." Clara remarked.  
  
When she turned back she started to laugh to herself. She was sitting in the same bed, the same room in fact as Frodo had in the film. There had been frequent jokes by the members of the Lord of the Rings Lovers since Lou had changed a comment Clara had made about the bed.  
  
"Just wait till I tell them." She giggled. "If I see them again." She added sadly.  
  
She was quiet for a moment.  
  
"I wonder what's to eat?"  
  
Pulling the pale yellow patterned sheets back, she twisted herself round so her legs swung over the edge. Her head throbbed. Clara lifted her hand to her brow, there she felt a wodge of material covering it. Gingerly she pulled it off, wincing slightly. Looking at it she saw some blood. Not knowing what to do with the material, she put it on the she. Then she looked down.  
  
"Oh my dear lord!" She exclaimed.  
  
Her feet seemed to have grown several sizes. They had also acquired hair on the top.  
  
"I have hairy feet. OK I know I call myself a hobbit but this is just ridiculous."   
  
In her head she heard the voice of her friend Toni. Well it wasn't really a voice. More of a taunting laugh.  
  
"Oh shut up." She said aloud.  
  
She jumped down off the bed. Her feet had been quite a way off the floor and she landed heavily. But the weight on her legs was too sudden and the buckled beneath her. Clara landed hard on the floor.  
  
"Well done Clara. You've been here how long and already you've fallen on the floor!"  
  
She sat for a minute then grabbed hold of the covers behind her, pulling herself up, Warily she stood, steadying herself with the bed. Look around everything seemed bigger than she though it would be, or should be.  
  
"Man. I'm a shorter arse than I was before!"  
  
She let go of the bed a swayed slightly. Then carefully she started to walk over to one of the arches. She nearly stumbled as her feet were rather large and not what she was used to. Placing her hand on the cool stone she looked out. Browning yellow leaves tinted with green were scattered across the floor and a light wind swirled them along, back into the room behind her. All the buildings she saw were ornately carved and featured arches in almost every possible side. Everything was open to the world.  
  
"Wow." Was all Clara could say. "Well at least I've come to Rivendel. It's not like I woke up in Mordor and was surrounded by orcs. Urgh. What a thought!" And she tuned away. "Or you could have gotten even worse! You could have ended up in Isengard with Saruman of Girley Fingers!" She laughed to herself at the nickname that Amber had given Saruman. "But now all you've got to do is figure out how the hell you got here. So far you've drawn a blank. Elrond and Frodo think you're insane and don't believe you. You're gonna have to talk to Gandalf. And you don't have a clue how you're gonna get back." She paused for a second. "And you're also talking to yourself. If that don't make 'em believe you're mad nothing will.actually dancing the YMCA with a carrot would clinch it." And again she started to laugh to herself.  
  
She stopped suddenly as she heard voices outside the room. In a panic, she half ran to the bed. But not being used to her new feet, she tripped and let out a cry as she caught hold of the covers. She heard the door open as she crashed to a heap. 


	4. Unanswered Questions

"So she is awake?" Asked Gandalf.  
  
"Yes. She woke a short while ago." Replied Elrond.  
  
"And you say she claims not to come from Middle Earth." Said Gandalf walking over to the railing and placing both hands on it.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Interesting." Gandalf muttered to himself.  
  
"You think the same as I." Said Elrond, hearing the old wizards words. "There is some strangeness here. I do not doubt. But what it is I cannot guess."  
  
"You speak rightly Elrond. I am indeed puzzled by it. But we shall only find possible answers after we talk to her."  
  
"When I left her I told her that drink and food would be brought. Do you wish to wait and speak to here after?"  
  
"No. I do not know why but something is telling me I must talk to her now. Bring the food to her while we talk." Said Gandalf turning to face Elrond.  
  
"I shall see to it." Replied Elrond and proceeded to walk away.  
  
"Elrond." Called Gandalf and the elf stopped and turned. "Would it be possible for Frodo to be called? He will be needed to tell all he knows. Also I think if she had another of her kind with her she may not feel threatened."  
  
Elrond smiled.  
  
"You speak wisely as always. I shall ask for Frodo to be brought to her room. Then I shall return."  
  
"I will wait here." Smiled Gandalf and he turned back towards the railing in thought as Elrond walked away.  
  
"I have asked for food to be brought shortly." Elrond told Gandalf as they walked down the corridor.  
  
"Thank you. I'm sure it will be much appreciated."  
  
Wizard and Elf walked on for a moment in silence, each thinking about the new arrival.  
  
"Gandalf. You have said you are puzzled but you have not mentioned one thing. Do you believe her?" Asked Elrond suddenly, bring the wizard back from his thoughts.  
  
"I have not heard the girl speak and I at this moment do not know what to believe. If indeed she is from Middle Earth we must decide why she has said what she has said. And if it is true then we must decided how she came to be here. It will be a difficult decision to make." Replied Gandalf looking ahead of him. "And it is not one to be made lightly." He added. "But what of your thoughts, friend?"  
  
"I do not deny her statement puzzles me greatly indeed as I have said before. And to many it may seem a cry of madness from one who has taken a serious blow to the head such as she has. Or a call for attention as she is but a young hobbit. No more than 20 years to my reckoning. But I have given much though to the matter and I have run it over in my mind. I heard her speak and there was truth in her words."  
  
Gandalf pondered this for a moment.  
  
"Well we shall find out soon I hope."  
  
"I too. Also there was something else that beset me." Said Elrond. "Her way of speaking. She uses the common speech but has an accent that has not been heard in Rivendel for sure."  
  
"She does not sound like a Shire folk?" Asked Gandalf.  
  
"None that I have heard. But I have not heard many. You are more likely to know that."  
  
Gandalf nodded but said nothing as they reached the door to her room. As they stood there for that moment they heard a cry from inside and a loud thump. Looking at each other in wonder and slight panic Elrond reached for the door and opened it. Both entered the room to see the young hobbit sat on the floor by the bed with the covers half pulled off covering her. They watched it amusement as they saw a hand emerge from the covers and her head half appear. She looked at them and laughed nervously.  
  
"Er.little help?" 


	5. Revelations

Gandalf walked forward and picked up some of the covers so that she could free herself. Clara jumped up and grabbed onto the bed to steady herself yet again.  
  
"Thanks." She said to Gandalf's knees. She looked up. "Tall." She breathed as she saw Gandalf smiling at her. Shaking her head she coughed. "Hi."  
  
"Hello." Replied Gandalf.  
  
"Clara." Said Elrond stepping forward and she looked at him. "This is Gandalf as you may already know. He has expressed a wish to talk to you now." And Elrond smiled reassuringly.  
  
"Oh. Talk. I can do that. I'm good at that." She muttered.  
  
"Maybe you would like to sit down?" Said Gandalf. "I will be doing so." And he walked to the back of the room to bring a chair next to the bed.  
  
Clara jumped back onto the bed and sat with her hands either side, nervously. Gandalf smiled at her again as he sat down. Elrond stood beside the chair.  
  
"I asked for food to be brought while we talk." Gandalf told her "I have also asked for Master Frodo to be sent here. He found you. I'm sure you wish to know what happened before you came here."  
  
"Would be nice." Agreed Clara.  
  
"I hope our entering did not startle you into your fall." Asked Elrond.  
  
"No." Said Clara quickly, not wanting to offend them. "It's just, I'm not used to the feet."  
  
"You're not used to them?" Asked Gandalf.  
  
"Well they were never this big."  
  
"You've not always been a hobbit?" Asked Gandalf again.  
  
"Are you kidding? I've gone from a size six to a size sixteen overnight. I mean I've heard of growth spurts but this takes the micheal!"  
  
Both stared blankly at her.  
  
"Never mind."  
  
At the moment there was knock on the door and a dark haired elf walked in carrying a tray with food and drink. She placed it carefully on the bed.  
  
"Thank you Penniavasien." Said Elrond.  
  
Penniavasien smiled at Clara and she smiled back.  
  
"Really is true about elves being so perfect." Thought Clara.  
  
Behind Penniavasien entered another elf carrying a chair for Elrond. This was placed next to Gandalf. Elrond thanked him and they left. The door was pushed open before it could shut and Frodo walked in.  
  
"Ah Master Frodo. I'm glad you have joined us." Said Elrond.  
  
"I came as soon as I was told I was needed. We've been discussing it. All of us are interested in knowing what happened." Said Frodo walking to the small group.  
  
"Join the club." Said Clara under her breath.  
  
Frodo looked at her and grinned.  
  
"Frodo, won't you sit down?" Asked Gandalf.  
  
Frodo looked around and then jumped onto the bed next to Clara.  
  
"Well now we're all here, we can begin." Said Elrond.  
  
Clara took a deep breath.  
  
"Clara. We want to ask you some questions. Now try to answer them as well as you can. Maybe we can find out more to this mystery." Said Elrond.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"What was the last thing you remember?" Asked Gandalf.  
  
She was silent for a while as she tried to recall what had happened to her before she had woken up there.   
  
"I was in my garden and I went to fill the water bottle up...when I tripped up and I fell over. And I hit my head on the step. Then all I can remember is waking up here." She said, pleased that she had remembered.  
  
Gandalf smiled.  
  
"And where do you live?" He asked.  
  
"Essex." Said Clara proudly, her accent showing through strongly as she said it.  
  
Gandalf and Elrond exchanged looks.  
  
"Oh I saw that!" Cried Clara.  
  
"Saw what?" Asked Frodo.  
  
"That look they gave each other" Clare said to Frodo. "Look." Said to Gandalf and Elrond. "I know you guys think that I'm speakin a load of rubbish and you ain't believing a word I've said but despite what you think I'm telling the truth." And she her face was set with stubbornness.  
  
Gandalf looked at the small hobbit sitting hunched on the bed, a cut across the left side of her forehead. She stared back at him with her blue eyes shining, pleading for them to believe her. Looking at Elrond, he nodded in agreement. He turned his look back upon Clara.  
  
"You must understand that you claim is a hard one to believe. Here you are, a hobbit found and brought to Rivendel with what was a nasty blow to the head and when you wake you claim you are not from Middle Earth."  
  
Clara said nothing.  
  
"But I can see that you are telling the truth."  
  
She let out a sigh of relief. Looking to her side she saw that Frodo was still smiling at her, though she could see he was still confused.  
  
"We still do not know how you got here though, or how you know our names." Said Elrond.  
  
"I dunno bout the first thing." Said Clara. "But if you do figure it out I'd love to know."  
  
"Indeed." Said Elrond with slight amusement. "But could you tell us the second thing?"  
  
"Well.where I come from you see.err.you're all written about in a book. Middle Earth. Rivendel. The Shire. Frodo. Merry. Pippin, Sam. You two. Everything." Clara told them.  
  
Frodo looked at her in wonder as she said aloud the names of his friends and his home.  
  
"A book?" Asked Gandalf.  
  
"And a movie."  
  
"Movie?" repeated Frodo slowly.  
  
"Yeah. A movie. You know, of course you don't know cos there's no such thing here." Said Clara as she clicked on that Middle Earth probably didn't have cinemas.  
  
Frodo frowned. Clara tried to explain.  
  
"Well movies are these kinda well, pictures. And people put them altogether and the pictures move. And they tell a story. Simple really.if you could.actually.understand my explanation never mind." And she stared at the floor.  
  
"So you say that we're part of a book and one of these movies where you come from?" Asked Elrond.  
  
"Well not just one. Three of each. And there's lots more stuff." Said Clara.  
  
"Such as?" Asked Elrond.  
  
"I don't wanna confuse things even more." Replied Clara quickly, not wanting to explain anymore.  
  
"Very well." Said Elrond.  
  
"What are they about?" asked Frodo.  
  
"Err." Faltered Clara. She did want to tell the story. Something in her head was screaming at her not too. "I can't remember." She said quietly.  
  
Gandalf studied her face quietly. "Do not worry. Maybe you can tell us another time."  
  
Clara smiled thankfully.  
  
They continued to talk for another hour. Gandalf, Elrond and Frodo asking questions and Clara answering them as she remember. She told them about where she lived and about what she knew. Never did she tell them the names of the story or the events she knew happened in it. Both wizard and elf listened carefully as she talked.  
  
And then Frodo told his story. Of how he and a small group of hobbits had been on a walk through The Shire. And while they were resting Merry had gone exploring and found Clara lying unconscious in some bushes, a large gash across the left of her forehead. He called the others and together they had slowly carried her towards Rivendel where they knew she'd be cared for. Half way through the second day while they rested she had woken but was delirious and had not seemed that she was really there at all. At the end of the day she had a fever and had slipped in and out of sleep muttering to herself sometimes. At the start of the third day they had met Gandalf in the road and seeing the sick hobbit had taken her to Rivendel in his cart, which was quicker than it appeared, with the other hobbits in the back checking over her. Clara did not remember any of it but laughed when she heard of how she had arrived.  
  
"Well talk about travelling in style." She grinned.  
  
While they talked, Clara ate and drank and she offered some to Frodo, Elrond and Gandalf. Only Frodo agreed. Then Elrond and Gandalf gave their leave and left to the two hobbits to discuss what they had just heard. Both sat quiet for a while. Then Clara spoke.  
  
"I don't suppose.I could meet the others do you? It's just I've heard about everyone and what you all did. Thank you for that."  
  
Frodo looked at her.  
  
"Of course. I know they'd like to meet you now that you're properly awake. And we could never have left you there."  
  
"I'd never doubt that." Smiled Clara.  
  
"I'll leave you to get changed then." Said Frodo and he jumped down from the bed. "I'll be at the bottom of the steps when you're ready." And he started towards on of the arches.  
  
"Frodo." Called Clara and he turned. "You do believe me don't you?"  
  
"Yes. And so does Gandalf. Do not worry yourself about it." He smiled. "I'll be waiting." And he walked out and down the steps outside.  
  
Clara looked after him and then stirred herself from her dreaming. She carefully jumped down from the bed and walked over to the table where her clothes were placed. She'd not given much thought to it but now she realised that although she was still wearing her jeans, she had on instead a cream coloured embroidered nightshirt. Now she changed into her bright pink top and a black fishnet top over that. She was slightly annoyed when she found that some of the net had ripped where they covered her palms, which were still grazed slightly. As her jeans were so long they covered her feet completely and she decided to roll them up to three quarter lengths to avoid her tripping more than necessary. Quickly running her fingers through her hair to spike it up, she walked out down the steps to meet Frodo. 


	6. Old Faces, New Friends

Walking to the top of the steps, she made he way down them. Frodo watched as Clara carefully went down each one while gripping hold of the rails. She smiled as she got to the bottom one. Then she gracefully made the last step, stumbled forward and landed on her knees laughing.  
  
"Are you alright?" Asked Frodo, helping her to her feet.  
  
"Hunky Dory." She said through the giggles.  
  
"You do that a lot?" He questioned.  
  
"More than you could imagine."  
  
She looked up and saw that to their left, a little above them on a walkway stood an elf looking at them curiously. She waved and turned to Frodo.  
  
"Shall we?"  
  
He nodded and they set off through Rivendell.  
  
As they slowly walked Clara chatted away merrily about her friends at home. She told him of the friends she went to school with. And she chatted for a long time about her friends on the Internet. She'd had a lot of fun explaining computers and the Internet. Gandalf, Elrond and Frodo had of course not known of these things and the fact that she had to explain something, which to her was simple, to these very wise beings made Clara feel, in her words, "Doodily Knowledgeable."  
  
While she talked, she looked about at the wonders that were surrounding them both sides. She knew she should take it all in while she could. Opened out buildings so intricately carved. Vines and leaves adorned the wood and here and there you could see animals also. Swans with their great wings outstretched and their elegant necks arched and beautiful. Gold here and there shone on the pillars.   
  
Trees and bushes and flowers were everywhere. Lush and green. Nature surrounded them. Frodo laughed suddenly.  
  
"What?" Asked Clara.  
  
"You can really talk for hours can't you?"  
  
"Indeedy doody! I've had practice. You should see how fast we get through the posts. You know we spend waaaaaay to much time on there. We're a bad influence on each other."  
  
"And that.ring.through your lip? Doesn't that slow you down?"  
  
"Huh?" Mumbled Clara. She ran her tongue over her bottom lip and felt her metal lip ring. "Oh! Nah. Wouldn't have it in if it did." And she laughed.  
  
Frodo smiled and they carried on talking.  
  
"I'm hungry."  
  
"Pip. You're always hungry."  
  
"I am not. I just happen to be a little peckish sometimes."  
  
Merry grinned at his friend and sat down.  
  
"I wonder what they're doing." Said Pippin.  
  
"Talking Pip. That's why Frodo went. To talk to this girl." Replied Merry.  
  
"Wonder what they're saying. They've been in there a fair bit o' time." Mused Sam.  
  
"Gandalf most probably wanted to know everything." Said Rose.  
  
"He does like to talk when he feels like it." Said Lou.  
  
"He never talks to us much." Amber added.  
  
"That's probably because of the time we jumped out at him while he was on his way to Bag End to visit Bilbo." Said Lou. "I think we scared him."  
  
"Us? Scare Gandalf? I doubt it." Replied Rose. "He probably thinks we're strange."  
  
Amber nodded in agreement.  
  
"We didn't mean to though. We weren't to know it was him." Said Lou in their defence.  
  
"Of course you weren't. Because lots of wizards roam Hobbiton dressed in grey." Merry responded.  
  
"And not to mention pointy hats." Added Pippin.  
  
"Thank you Merry. That comment was much appreciated." Replied Rose dryly.  
  
"Glad to be of service." Merry said with a wide grin on his face.  
  
At this the small group of hobbits began to laugh. Pippin sighed as they lapsed into silence.  
  
"I'm hungry."  
  
The hobbits groaned.  
  
"Pippin. Do you ever think beyond your stomach?" Asked Sam.  
  
"But I am." Insisted Pippin.  
  
"You had food only a half hour ago." Amber told him.  
  
"We could sneak into one of the stores and get some food." Said Pippin brightly.  
  
"Or we could do what normal hobbits do and ask." Said Lou.  
  
Before Pippin could reply they heard voices. Looking up they saw Frodo and another figure beside him walking toward them. All stood up to great the new arrivals.  
  
"Ah there you are." Said Frodo cheerily as they drew near.  
  
"Master Frodo." Sam was the first to speak. "We were wondering where you had been getting to."  
  
"Sam. You know where I've been." Laughed Frodo and Sam smiled feeling slightly embarrassed. "But it does not matter." Added Frodo. "I have here someone who is eager to meet you and I know you are likewise."  
  
All eyes were now on Clara, who was suddenly feeling very small. She smiled shyly at them.  
  
"Hi." She said as cheerily as she could muster and waved slightly.  
  
"Hello." Smile Pippin kindly.  
  
"Clara. May I introduce you. This is Meriadoc Brandybuck, Perigrin Took, Samwise Gamgee." But he did not get to finish his introductions.  
  
"Lou!" Clara cried, finally recognising the hobbits stood in front of her. "Amber! Rose!"  
  
The three girls stood in wonder and bewilderment. They were not sure how to react to this. They did not know how she knew whom each one of them was or why she was so happy to see them.  
  
"It's me Clara." She said seeing their looks. "You know. We talk everyday. The message board? The LOTRL's?" She paused and said sadly. "You don't know do you? You have no idea who I am."  
  
"Clara?" Asked Frodo beside her and she looked at him. "Are you alright?"  
  
"No. Yes. I think so. I don't know. It's all so strange."  
  
"Come along." Said Frodo taking her by the arm and leading her over to a stone bench to sit down.  
  
She sat down and stared at the floor not wanting to look up. She fought back the few tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks. At first she'd loved the thought that she was in Middle Earth and she'd met Gandalf and Elrond.and Frodo. But now she had just seen her friends and they did not have any recollection of who she was she felt despair. She swallowed hard and looked up at Frodo who again was asking her how she was.  
  
"I'm fine." And she forced a smile.  
  
"What was the matter?" He asked.  
  
"Er. if you don't mind me asking. How do you know our names?" Asked Lou nervously.  
  
Clara looked at the hobbit that bared the exact resemblance to her friend.  
  
"It's hard to explain. You see.I." And she stopped, being unable to find the words.  
  
"Perhaps we should all sit down?" Said Sam, looking at her kindly.  
  
"I think you better." Said Clara.  
  
So each Hobbit found a place to sit themselves and turned back to Clara who again felt rather shy being the centre of attention. Popularity was not a thing she was used to.  
  
"They already know about me not coming from here right?" Asked Clara to Frodo.   
  
"We know that you're not. Frodo told us what you said when he came back." Said Pippin.  
  
"Good." Smiled Clara. "I dunno if you believe me or not but good."  
  
"I do." Said Rose.  
  
"And me." Added Lou.  
  
"Me too!" Grinned Amber.  
  
Pippin, Merry and Sam gave her a reassuring look.   
  
"Well. I'll just say this coz no point in draggin' things out. Even though I'm doing it now, but anyway. Where I come from, I know who you are." Said Clara looking at Sam, Merry and Pippin. "And you three." Said turning to face Amber, Rose and Lou. "Where I come from we're all friends. I know that sounds weird and stuff but.it's true." She nervously looked at each of their faces wondering what each would say. 


	7. Getting Accustomed

All were silent. Clara's heart was beating so loudly she was sure it was heard by everyone else. There were not butterflies in her stomach but snakes. She stared at the ground in front of the hobbits, not wanting to look up. Her fingers tugged at the sleeves of her top, she hooked her thumb front the hole in the netting, which was a bad habit she was trying to give up.  
  
The hobbits looked at Clara. Frodo knew what they were thinking. It was a hard thing to believe. They were hobbits of the Shire and had been brought up with wild and wonderful tales but none of them were ever to be believed. Although the small group there knew that there was more to the world that they lived in, the story of Clara's was something that one of them had ever heard. And they didn't even know everything that Clara had told he, Elrond and Gandalf earlier.  
  
Amber coughed and they all jumped.  
  
"We all know you?" She said nervously.  
  
Clara nodded slowly.  
  
"We're all friends?" Asked Lou.  
  
She nodded again.  
  
"I know it sounds insane." Clara blurted out. "And I'm not expecting you to believe me because I know that if someone told me that I'd have a hard time believing it." And she trailed off into silence not really knowing what else she could say.   
  
Amber looked at her.  
  
"We do, well I do believe you." Replied Amber quietly and a wave of relief washed over Clara.  
  
"Me too." Said Rose and Lou nodded and smiled.  
  
Clara felt a weight lifted off her shoulders and a faint smile appeared on her face.  
  
"So tell us more." Merry asked Clara.  
  
But before she could say a word, they heard a small gasp from Sam. Following his gaze each now saw an elf walking gracefully towards them. Even though they had been in Rivendell a couple of days, Sam was still in awe of the elves when he was near them. She glided towards them, her auburn hair falling over her shoulders and shining in the sun above them.  
  
"I have been asked to take you to see lord Elrond." She said to Clara.  
  
"Err.sure." She said, still trying to adjust to the height thing.   
  
"Follow me." Said the elf and turned away.  
  
"I'll see you later?" Asked Clara hopefully, her eyes passing over each one of them and resting her gaze on Frodo.  
  
"You will." Said Frodo.  
  
"K." Said Clara. She looked at the elf, who was already walking away. "I better go."  
  
"Goodbye." They called after Clara as she ran after the elf.  
  
"What's the matter Frodo?" Asked Sam, seeing the look on his friends face.  
  
"I can't help feeling I should go with her." He said. "She's only just woken up today. This must be confusing for her."  
  
Merry grinned. "Go ahead. We'll see you after."  
  
Frodo looked at Merry and smiled.  
  
"I'll see you later." He said and followed hurriedly after Clara.  
  
They all watched his move away from them. Then Pippin spoke up.  
  
"I don't know about anyone else. But I'm hungry."  
  
"Me too. Let's go." Replied Rose quickly and with a grin she stood up, the others doing the same. "If we're lucky we can make afternoon tea!"  
  
"I thought you might want someone with you." Smiled Frodo as he caught up with them.  
  
"Thanks." Said Clara, returning the smile. "Where are we going?" She asked the elf.  
  
"To the Chamber of Elrond." Replied the Elf.  
  
"Oh. Doody." Said Clara.  
  
They continued to walk in silence. Again Clara had the same feeling in her stomach as she had a few minutes back. Meeting Elrond and Gandalf for a second time was unnerving. It wasn't because she was frightened of them. In fact she liked them very much but it still didn't mean she hadn't realised while reading the books that you shouldn't get on the wrong side of either. That was what scared her slightly. And even though what she had said to them really wasn't likely to anger them, she was having a moment of doubt and at that time she felt that just about anything could happen!  
  
They rounded the corner and passed through a doorway in into what at first looked like a wide corridor. Then she saw that to her right were stone arches leading away and a few oak doors intricately patterned. To her left were more arches. These were made out of wood and we're joined together as the wood twisted in and out of each other in knots. Beyond the arches to her left she saw a large, slightly raised, round platform open to the sky. On the far side were stone figured carved into the alcoves. And on the other side the base of a thick tree and greenery and such were growing. In the near centre was a large stone pedestal and opposite that was a chair. In it sat Elrond and to his right sat Gandalf. They looked up as they entered. He smiled and stood up, Gandalf raising himself also. Elrond waved his hand for them to come over.  
  
As they stepped onto the platform Clara looked about. She could see that on the left there was a set of stairs that lead up and to a bridge going into the trees. She looked up behind her and there she saw the back of a statue that from where she stood was bent over as if looking at something. She knew what it held.  
  
"Good day." Said Elrond looking down at them.  
  
"Quel re." Replied Clara, not realising that she has said it until she saw Elrond's eyebrows rise in surprise.  
  
"You speak elvish?"  
  
"Errr.a little." Muttered Clara.  
  
"Indeed. You are full of surprises." He said, but his tone was warm.  
  
"Well not many." Replied Clara.  
  
"We shall not keep you long." Said Gandalf. "We understand that today has been confusing for all of us. I should image you are hungry and would like some food."  
  
"Food." Said Clara brightly. "I could do food!"  
  
Gandalf smiled, "Very well. Frodo, you decided to come along to?"  
  
"I came as a.support." Said Frodo.  
  
Elrond sat down slowly in his chair and looked at Clara steadily. She moved her feet nervously.  
  
"You must understand that what you have said is something that is hard to believe." She finally said.  
  
Clara nodded.  
  
"God." She thought. "He really does have the kinda voice you could listen to all day and not get tired of." Her brain switched back to reality and away from off topic thoughts as Elrond stood up and walked a few paces away and turned back to face them.  
  
"But we can see no reason for you to make it up. Nor can we see any other way to explain your being in Middle Earth. You certainly do no dress like a ordinary hobbit."  
  
"I don't dress normally in me own world neither so there no change there." Said Clara.  
  
Elrond smiled, amused.  
  
"That does not surprise me."  
  
"Well that's good! Coz surprising people all the time would get annoying." Clara said matter o' factly. "So.er.does this mean that you believe me?" She added nervously.  
  
Gandalf nodded.  
  
"We do."  
  
"Oh, yayness." Clara breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"We have decided hat you shall stay in Rivendell for the time being while we try and find a way that you have found your way into Middle Earth. How does that sound?" Asked Gandalf.  
  
"That sounds absolutely peachy. Couldn't ask for a better place to stay. Thank you." She looked at Frodo and said in a quiet voice. "Do I have to bow?"  
  
"Do you normally?" He replied.  
  
"Well no. In Essex you either say 'cya' or run like the wind."  
  
Frodo gave her a puzzled look.  
  
"But clearly I should do none of those things."  
  
"Now Clara. I shall let you depart. I am sure there is much you would still like to talk about." Said Elrond.  
  
"Er.yeah. I mean yes.sir. Thank you." She stuttered.  
  
Frodo smiled, amused at how the so far talkative hobbit seemed to be lost for words.  
  
"I shall see to it that you are looked out for." Smiled Elrond.  
  
"Thank you. Again." Said Clara. She did a half bow and nearly topped forward.  
  
Laughing nervously she looked at Elrond and found he was laughing and Gandalf was chuckling to himself. She turned to Frodo and found that he too was laughing.  
  
"Come along." He said. "There is much to see."  
  
Elrond and Gandalf exchanged amused looks as the two hobbits walked back the way that they had entered. 


	8. An Absence of Hair Gel

Later that night Clara was sat quietly in her room. To be truthful she was quite bored. After a dinner together, the rest of the hobbit had gone their separate ways. Clara had hoped to talk with Frodo more but she had not the courage to ask him to stay. So instead he, Merry and Pippin had gone off somewhere to smoke a pipe. Rose had shyly asked Sam if he would take a walk with her and he had bashfully agreed. Amber and Lou had been very secretive on where they headed off. Clara had excused herself and headed back for her room, which she was now deeply regretting.  
  
She thought back on all that had happened that day. So much. She'd woken up in the one placed she had wished to be more than anything. She'd met the people, hobbits and elves she'd dreamed of meeting. And yet something wasn't right. When she had imagined herself here it had always been the LOTRL's with her. The faerie hobbits going manic in Middle Earth. Now they were but not as they had all imagined. They didn't know who she was. It wasn't how she had wanted it to be. She thought about everything that had been said. How they had all talked during dinner. Not much because the food was so good and eating and talking at the same time was rather hard. She had told to all there, the story of her world. And she had told them all about the LOTRL's. Sighing she suddenly remembered something that she had said earlier.  
  
"I'm not from this world?! How Hollywood was that!"   
  
Clara looked around to see if there was anything to entertain her. There was nothing that caught her eye. Sighing she fell backwards on the bed. Then she laughed. She sat up again and, very unsteadily, stood up on the bed. She then proceeded to jump up and down, giggling madly and singing one of the LOTRL's favourite phrases, 'A Boom Boom'. She thought of the bouncing sheep they had all joked about and it made her laugh even harder. After a couple of minutes she stopped, breathing heavily and still giggling madly, clutching her stomach. She stepped backwards onto one of the pillows. It slid under her and she fell back. Clara stopped laughing as she landed and heard a sharp crack  
  
"Uh oh." She said quietly.  
  
Slowly she looked round at the statue she had been so impressed with earlier. Looking carefully at it, not noticing anything at first wrong with it. She looked down at her hand.  
  
"Oh.bugger."  
  
By it she saw a thumb. Looking back up at the statue she saw that they thumb from its right hand had broken off. She picked up the thumb and gingerly lifted it to the hand it came from.  
  
"This is so bad.she said pointing out the bleedin' obvious!" Clara muttered to herself. "Right.you can explain. Yeah. Explain. Explain to them that you were bored go you decided to jump on their bed like a trampoline and then you accidentally broke their statue." She groaned. "Yeah. That'll work. Maybe I could stick it back."  
  
Clara looked around for anything that would help her fix the statue. She couldn't see anything so she searched her pockets. She pulled out a couple of coins, some strawberry lip balm, a packet of chewing gum, some scraps of paper and a music shop card. Clara looked from her hand to the statue and back again.  
"So do you believe her?" Asked Amber.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Clara of course."  
  
Lou was quiet as she contemplated this thought.  
  
"I do. It's strange I know. I'm still slightly nervous if I'm to be honest. It's strange knowing that there's a different you in this whole new world. And also confusing. But I do believe her. What about you?"  
  
"The same I guess. I know it's strange but there's just something in my head telling me to believe her. You know?" Said Amber  
  
"I know. I feel the same."  
  
"But it is also kind of fun that there's this different place."  
  
"Kinda doody." Nodded Lou.  
  
"Doody?"  
  
"I don't know where I got that from." Said Lou, puzzled.  
  
Both girls fell silent.  
  
"Lou!" Said Amber in a hushed, excited whisper. "Look."  
  
Lou looked where Amber was pointing. They were sat on a solid platform looking down on a lush green garden. Everything had been tended and cared for lovingly. She saw a tall, slender elf with long blond hair, making his way across the grass soundlessly. Each blade of grass he placed his foot on barely bent beneath him. He made his way over to a seat and sat down.  
  
"He's so." Whispered Lou.  
  
"I know." Finished Amber in a whisper.  
  
"You don't think he saw us."  
  
"No. Why would he look up here?"  
  
The two girls continued to talk in whispers. They had seen him while they had walked about Rivendell. The elf sat quietly smiling to himself as he heard the two hobbits talk. He did not let on that he knew of their presence.  
  
"Elves are just so." Sighed Lou.  
  
"I know." Finished Amber again.  
  
Lou gazed at him. Both had fallen for the elf immediately. His name was Legolas and he had travelled from Mirkwood to Rivendell for advice from Elrond on matters concerning his father.  
  
"What do you think his name is?" Asked Lou.  
  
"I don't know. But we have to find out." Replied Amber.  
Clara looked at the contents held in her hand.  
  
"Right.okay." She muttered to herself. "When they find out what I've done they're gonna be wiggy." She picked up the packet of chewing gum and looked at it. "And when they find out how I fixed it they're going to be so wigged that no amount of giggle juice is going to make them laugh!" She put the rest of the stuff back in her pocket and took out a stick of chewing gum, the packet being placed in her pocket also. Unwrapping the gum, she placed it in her mouth and started to chew. The flavour was strong and she could smell the spearmint. After the elven food she had just eaten the gum tasted vile compared and she felt slightly ill. After a minute or two she took it out of her mouth and squeezed it between her fingers till it became tacky. Then picking up the thumb, she stuck it on the broken end. Wincing as she did so, Clara placed the thumb back in its place on the hand.  
  
For a moment she thought it wouldn't have stayed but as she slowly pulled her hands away from it, the thumb stayed where it was.  
  
Clara breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
From behind her came the sound of the door clicking and she spun round as it opened.  
"It's a nice evening." Said Merry and he blew a smoke ring.  
  
It floated into the air, gradually growing thinner and thinner and then was blown away by a light gust of wind. Pippin and Frodo looked on silently, each a pipe in hand. Pippin sighed contentedly.  
  
"Indeed it is Meriadoc my dear friend. A quiet smoke on a warm evening in the city of he elves." He grinned. "Don't you agree Frodo?"  
  
"Hmm?" Frodo shook himself from his thoughts.  
  
Merry laughed.  
  
"Seems like cousin Frodo is not content with our surroundings. Or has other things on his mind. Or even both."  
  
Frodo smiled at his friends.  
  
"You indeed are correct with one of your guesses. I am certainly content with where I am. But I do have things on my mind."  
  
"And what would they be?" Asked Pippin.  
  
"Things." Replied Frodo.  
  
"Ah I see. Secrecy. Things he is unwilling to tell." Said Merry knowingly. "Could it be perhaps a certain hobbit who you have spent the past day with?"  
  
Pippin laughed and Frodo smiled good-naturedly.  
  
"Yet again you guess Merry." Frodo smiled. And then changing the subject he said. "But don't think I have not again noticed your secret glances at Lou."  
  
Merry did not say anything. It had long been known by his two friends with him and Sam that he liked Lou but no one else did.  
  
"Observant of you Frodo." He finally replied.  
  
Pippin looked at each of them in turn.  
  
"Well this certainly is a happy party. Frodo keeping to himself and Merry here looks like he is about to follow suit."  
  
"I apologised." Smiled Frodo. "I shall be quiet no longer. Come Pippin. Shall you not sing a song with me?"  
  
"I would be delighted Master Frodo."  
Clara stared at the door as it opened. An elf entered and smiled. Clara laughed nervously.  
  
"Good evening." Said the elf. "I am Valia. I have been told to see you and ask if you would like to take a bath after the long day."  
  
"Bath. Oh great. Bath. Yes. Thank you. Bath." Stumbled Clara.  
  
"Very well." Smiled Valia. "You will find it across the hall and a door down."  
  
"You don't have strawberry soap do you?" Asked Clara quickly.  
  
"Strawberry soap? No."  
  
"Oh thank god." Said Clara quietly. "Thank you." She said to Valia.  
  
Valia nodded and left the room. Clara winced as the door closed and she felt something fall on her foot. She turned and saw the thumb had detached itself from the hand. She looked at the statue.  
  
"Oh sod off!" She said irritably.  
  
"It's, err.a nice evening." Said Sam slowly.  
  
"It is." Rose Replied.  
  
Rose glanced at Sam and smiled. He did the same. Both blushed slightly and looked ahead. They carried on walking side by side along the path. Across the way they could see an elf walking gracefully along, almost gliding. As he did there seemed to be a glow about him. Like the light of the moon. Rose looked at Sam again and saw the wonder in his eyes as he looked upon the elf.  
  
"They're amazing aren't they." She said softly.  
  
"They are." Sam breathed and then he shook himself as if from a dream.  
  
"I've only ever heard Bilbo tell a couple of stories about the elves but I never imagined them like they are."  
  
"Mr Bilbo used to tell me hundreds of stories of his adventures and of the elves. He still will if he has a pipe in his hand and a mug of ale beside him." Said Sam.  
  
"Maybe one day I would visit and you could ask Bilbo if he would tell us a tale?" Asked Rose hopefully.  
  
"I'd like that." Smiled Sam.  
  
"And then maybe you could take me around your garden." Added Rose.  
  
"Well I.I could." Said Sam, stumbling over his words. Rose laughed pleasantly and he blushed. "I would love to."  
  
Both smiled and together they continued walking through Rivendell.  
  
Clara pulled the nightshirt over her head. She had had a bath and now started to put on her collection of jewellery. When she had done, she rubbed her head dry with the towel and walked towards the full-length mirror at one side of the room. It was standing in front of the mirror she realised that she did not have one thing.  
  
"Hair gel!" She cried. "Oh Bollards!"  
  
Having short hair she had relied on hair gel to keep her hair spiky and avoid the mocking laughs of those about her.  
  
"Well elves. They're too nice to laugh.I think."  
  
She rubbed he hair again with the towel and it was then that she realised it had changed.  
  
"I've got curly hair!" And she looked and pointed mocking at the mirror. "That's right missy." Her reflection looked back at her." And without an place to buy frizz ease." She laughed to herself.  
  
Running her fingers through her hair, she sighed. Then she turned and placed the towel down, picked up her own clothes and head for her room. She chucked her clothes at the bottom of her bed. Then, realised she wasn't at home, picked them up and placed them on a chair instead. With a jump she sat on the bed and pulled back the covers.  
  
She sat and looked out through the arches into the dark. Even in the light from the candle about casting many shadows, Rivendell looked beautiful. She wished she were not alone. She wished he friend truly knew who she was. Knowing they were here but did not remember made it more upsetting.  
  
Floating across the air came the sound of cheerful voices in song. She smiled to herself. Laying her head on the pillow, she closed her eyes and fell asleep to the sound of the hobbits voices ringing in her ears. 


	9. Faerie Hobbits Dictionary

LOTRL Word/Phrase Guide  
  
It has come to my attention that beings that aren't the Faerie Hobbits will not understand what the hell is going on in the next chapter. Therefore I have compiled with the help of my Faerie Hobbit Colleagues a Guide to the Words and Phrases that shall be used in the chapter in an attempt to make it vaguely clearer to you.  
  
Asparagus - A type of vegetable. Also a friendly insult.  
  
Side wave - A style of wave I never knew existed until Skip and Amber pointed out that I did it. To do the side wave, raise your fore arm to a 90 degree angle to the floor about level with the eyes. Then proceed to open and close your hand in the form of a wave. This is a side wave.  
  
Yo, Bo, Booyaka, Booyakasha, Bred Win, Posse, Crew - Terms used by Ali G and residents of the English county of Essex. These beings are extremely amusing to listen to. They're known as Rude Boys.  
  
Flamigeons - A flamingo crossed with a pigeon. A flamingo pigeon.  
  
Damigeons - A Dalmatian crossed with a pigeon. A Dalmatian pigeon.  
  
Carrots - You have to have read The Secret Diaries to understand the true hilarity of this vegetable.  
  
Strawberries - Very tasty fruit. Again linked to The Secret Diaries.  
  
A Boom Boom - A favourite among the Faerie Hobbits. A random phrase that can mean generally good things.  
  
Cha Ching - The noise that is made after you are blessed by a Faerie Hobbit. 


	10. Things Aren't As They Seem

Lou opened the door to her room and walked in slowly. She was very weary from all that had happened that day. She and Amber had sat and watched the elf for what seemed hours but she knew it was less. Normally if she was up at this time she would have been hungry but the food here was so filling she felt fine.  
  
Pulling off her clothes and changing into the nightclothes she had been provided with, she jumped into bed. She breathed in the cool clean air and smiled. Then she pulled the soft covers up close under her chin and closed her eyes. The last thing she saw were the lights of Rivendell, shining in the darkness and then slipped off into sleep.  
  
Outside birds sung in sweet melodies. Lou closed her eyes tightly and rolled up in the sheets. In her mind she could see them flying through the branches of the trees that grew everywhere. She closed her eyes tighter but it didn't help. Yawning she opened her eyes, blinking back the light. Sleepily she looked about the room. The sun shone through the arches and lit everything making it look cheerful. Lou grinned and then frowned as her stomach told her it was time to eat. Jumping out of bed, resisting the urge to just lie back down and let herself be hungry, she dressed quickly.  
  
As she made her way through the corridors Lou was surprised she saw no elves or even hobbits walking about. Shrugging, she continued on her way.  
  
After a few minutes Lou stopped abruptly and looked about her. She must have taken a wrong turn as she never been in this part of Rivendell before. Even after being here for several days and taking walks by herself and the rest of the hobbits, she was sure she still hadn't found all the places of Rivendell. It seemed just as you thought you found it all there was a little bit more to find.  
  
She turned back the way she came and continued down the corridor hoping to find her way back to where she had begun. After five minutes of wandering she stopped again. Looking at the corridor it seemed suspiciously, to Lou, like the corridor she had realised she was lost in at first. Surely she couldn't have gone in a circle?  
  
At the end of the corridor Lou saw a movement. She smiled as she saw her friend step into the corridor.  
  
"Merry!" She cried and ran towards him.  
  
He looked up and waved. Lou gave him a hug as she reached him. Stepping back she looked at her friend.  
  
"Merry." She said again. "I got up to find some breakfast but I got lost and it's all so quiet! Where is everyone?" Asked Lou in one big long breath.  
  
"Carrot?" Enquired Merry, holding up a shallow wicker basket filled with carrots, which Lou did not remember seeing before.  
  
"Errr.thank you." She said taking a carrot gingerly and looking at it for a second. "But where are the.Merry?" She stopped short as she looked up and saw he had gone. "Merry?"  
  
To her right she saw a door ajar. This, she assumed, was the same door she had seen Merry walk through a minute earlier. Seeing as she could not see any other living being about her she decided she would go through. She couldn't get more lost than she already was and assumed Merry had gone through too.  
  
It led her to a long corridor without any doors. Way along on the left she could see what she guessed was an archway. A shaft of light shone through and bathed the opposite wall in light. Apart from that, no other light entered the corridor. It was all unaccustomly gloomy for a part of Rivendell and did not seem wholly right. Peering through the dull light that reached the end, she saw the outline of a large arched door.  
  
Lou made her way towards it, her footsteps against the stone floor resounding off the walls. When she reached the archway, for she had been correct, she stopped and looked out. Shielding her eyes against the glare of the golden light after the dimness, all she could make out was trees. From the direction of the door Lou though she heard music.  
  
When she reached the door she found it was made out of a solid, dark wood. Turning the handle, she pushed against it and called,  
  
"Merry? Merry are you here?"  
  
There was no reply but she had stepped into what seemed to be a large courtyard garden. There were trees surrounding it and about she could see elves and hobbits. Lou, smiled as she had finally found her friends and walked forward leaving the door open. She felt a tap on he shoulder and turned round. Amber stood there.  
  
"Amber!" Cried Lou. "God where have you been? Have you seen Merry? He came through here. Have you eaten yet?"  
  
Amber nodded slowly and then turned and pointed.  
  
"Look Rose!" She shouted. "The squirrel's going upstairs!"  
  
Amber ran off in the direction she had pointed. Lou stared after her. She looked about her and saw Clara sitting at a table. Hoping she would not run away like Amber had done, Lou made her way over. It was not until she was halfway there that she saw Clara was talking to someone. Sat on the table was a ring-tailed lemur. It appeared that this was whom she was talking to.   
  
"No you silly asparagus. The chickens dance the fandango and one day they'll be the high over lords with the pigeons."  
  
Clara looked up and saw Lou watching her. Grinning, she side waved and went back to talking to the lemur. Lou looked about her in shock. What was going on? Was this some kind of strange magic?  
  
At that moment she saw Elrond walking towards her. He looked very upset.  
  
"My tiara!" He said, his voice quavering. " Have you sen my tiara?" Lou shook her head. "It's gone! And someone took my purple dress!"  
  
With that Elrond wandered off, presumably to look for his tiara.  
  
"I know what you're thinking." Came a voice from behind her and he spun around.  
  
There she saw a stocky built man with shoulder length golden blond hair sitting at a table. He sat opposite the exact same elf that Amber and she had been watching the night before.  
  
"You're thinking," Continued the man. "That I don't understand. But I do. I really do."  
  
Legolas sighed.  
  
"Do you really?" He asked, his face downcast.  
  
"Yes I do." Replied the man.  
  
Legolas let out another sigh. "I just feel as if." The man looked at him expectantly. "I just fee that nobody appreciates a good old fashioned nance anymore." The man nodded sympathetically in agreement.  
  
"Strawberry?" He asked, pushing a bowl of strawberries towards Legolas.  
  
Legolas accepted some gratefully and shaking a can he had picked up from beside the bowl, he covered them in whipped cream. At the sight of this Lou felt the urge to laugh uncontrollably.  
  
Suddenly, something whizzed past her eyes. She looked wide eyed as she saw Frodo standing before her wearing what looked like boots with wheels on the bottom and attached around his waist and mass of lace that stuck out all the way round.  
  
"Frodo." She began in amazement but Frodo interrupted.  
  
"It's a tutu!" He said brightly. "Like it?"  
  
Lou didn't know what to say.  
  
"And what makes it better are these." Said Frodo, lifting up a layer of lace and showing what looked like swords protruding from the waistband.  
  
"You see what I do is run at an enemy and spin. Bang goes their kneecaps and you can't get very far without them!"  
  
Lou nodded open mouthed in shock  
  
"Come on Sam." Shouted Frodo. "Let's hunt some orc! TALLY HO!" And he skated off, spinning every now and then. Lou watched as Sam flew past her wearing his tutu and followed after Frodo.  
  
There came a loud blast of mixed notes to her right. These carried on until single notes could be made out, which then formed into a tune with one droning note behind them. Lou slowly looked in that direction, fearing what she would see next. Her eyes widened.  
  
Pippin was standing close by. He held in his hand a bag of tartan material with pipes protruding from it. The end of one was in his mouth. He blew into this and held the bag, filled with air, under his arm while in his hands he held another pipe. It seemed that covering the small holes in the pipe produced notes and moving his fingers produced different ones.  
  
"Pip." She said as she reached him.  
  
He grinned at her and carried on playing.  
  
"What in," She began and then stopped as she realised he couldn't hear her. "What in middle earth are you doing?" She shouted.  
  
"Bagpipes!" He shouted back, and then continued to play.  
  
"I don't know what to say." Lou said more to herself than Pippin. "Pip?" She yelled. "Why are you wearing a skirt?"  
  
"It's a kilt!" Shouted Pippin and now feeling confident, he started to do a little jig.  
  
"Lou?" Came a cry through the noise.  
  
Turning, she saw a taller than average hobbit with blonde hair, waving at her. Next to her sat two more hobbits. They seemed strangely familiar though she was sure they did not come from Hobbiton or any other part of the Shire. Amber and Rose also were sat there. She walked over in a state of utter bewilderment.  
  
"Hiya Skip, Kym, Dezzy." She said as she reached them and slowly sat on a bench preparing herself for a new shock. She wondered briefly how it didn't feel strange she knew these new hobbits' names.  
  
"Where've you been?" Asked Skip, the hobbit who had called her.  
  
"Yeah. The party is about to start." Said Rose, who was sat on the end of a low wooden bed opposite her.  
  
"Around." Said Lou. "Have any of you.noticed.well everyone acting strange?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Asked Kym.  
  
"It's mine!" Came a shout.  
  
"It's mine! Purple suits my complexion!"  
  
"Complexion my arse!" Came the second voice. "It looks better on me!"  
  
The hobbits turned to look in the direction of the shouting. Standing opposite each other, playing tug of war with a long velvet purple dress were Elrond and his daughter Arwen. Clara walked past them and continued to watch their fight as she reached the small group.  
  
"Looks like Elrond's stopped moping over his tiara." She said, sitting down next to Rose.  
  
Suddenly there was a loud crack and the bed tilted to one side, the leg of it breaking away from the frame. Rose jumped up quickly but Clara wasn't as quick as Rose and she rolled off onto the floor. She sat up giggling madly. One by one each of the hobbits started to laugh. They laughed till there were tears in their eyes. The was a high pitched whistling and a loud bang as a large firework burst overheard, flaring out into millions of shooting stars. The sky had gotten dark without Lou even noticing it and the stars twinkled.  
  
"The party!" Cried Amber and stood up excitedly.  
  
"Party?" Asked Lou, standing up with the others.  
  
"Yeah." Said Dezzy, "Come on it's starting!"  
  
"But." She started, and then saw they had all changed.  
  
Now they wore brightly coloured can can skirts with sparkling tiaras and in their hands they held wands with stars on the end. On their backs were glittery faerie wings. Looking down at herself she saw she wore the same. She shrugged and ran after the hobbits.  
  
Above them sparkled a huge mirror ball. She smiled as more fireworks went off overhead. Their colours mixed and bounced about the sky lighting up the faces of the hobbits and elves watching. It was the signal for the party to begin. And voice from nowhere sounded over trees through a microphone.  
  
"And now." Came a rather cheesy American presenter type voice. "We would like to present to you. The Wizard that's you've all been waiting for, He's a hit all through Middle Earth. Yes you know who I'm talking about folks. Give it up for.DJ GANDALF THE GREEEEEEEY!"  
  
There was a manic round of applause and wild cheering. Party poppers went of and one elf maiden fainted. From above a platform slowly lowered. Attached to the bottom were lights that flashed about lighting up the mirror ball and nearly blinding those looking directly at it. Lou could see a set of DJ decks and behind that a large screen showing what looked like a rune twisting about like it was being seen through kaleidoscope. A loud bang and flash of spark and smoke and behind the decks stood a tall grey figure with a long beard. The screams got louder as he raised his arms.  
  
"YO, YO, YO!!!" DJ Gandalf called. "'Sup ma possee!" More cheers and catcalls followed. "This one goes out to ma bred win. Booyakasha!"  
  
The stereo speaker either side of the stage pumped out a loud beat. The hobbits and elves started to dance madly.  
  
"Give it up for my Nancing Crew!" Yelled Gandalf and the entire crowd cheered as a smaller stage next to Gandalf lowered. On it stood a tall dark rugged looking man with hair to his shoulders, next to him the gentleman Lou had seen talking to Legolas earlier, Legolas himself and a small dwarf. All were kitted out in cowboy outfits, right from the hats to the boots.   
  
"5,6,7,8, Ma boot scooting baby is drivin' me crazy." Began the song. In unison the Nancing Crew did their thing.  
  
The crowd went wild. Everyone seemed to know the routine and joined in. Lou who didn't actually know it jumped about and waved her wand. Noticing a drinks stand she made her way over. She took a cup and looked about her to view what was happening. She noticed Elrond to her left wearing a pair of bunny ears on his head looking rather moody and Arwen not so far away dancing wearing the purple dress she and her father had been fighting over. She could see Gandalf with one of the huge earphones to his head bent over the decks and nodding his head, feeling every beat. When the track finished the stage with the Nancing Crew rose back up. Lou couldn't see where it stopped going on up but she hoped they would be okay.  
  
"And now, this tune goes out to my hobbits down there. Yeah I can see you! Bo!" Said Gandalf, indicating Lou and the other hobbits. "Shake dat booty. Booyaka!"  
  
Lou looked around, wondering what she was actually expecting to do. But Skip grabbed her arm and pulled her over to one side. She saw that opposite stood a line of elf maidens in brightly coloured can, can skirts much like the ones she and her friends were wearing. There was a silence over the crowd. The over the hush was heard the whispered voice of Gandalf.  
  
"The Can, Can."  
  
Suddenly there was a rush of music and Lou instantly knew what she needed to do. She ran forward along with the other hobbits and the elves did the same. There was a mass of waving lace skirts and whoops of delight from the dancers as they twirled to the music. Lou sang along to the song cheerfully. She remembered this. She knew there was no way she could have known the words before that moment but somehow she did. Letting the music take over she danced until the final bars and ran to the hobbits as they all sat down, exhausted.  
  
"That was fun! What are we going to do now?" She asked brightly.  
  
"Let's find some flamigeons!" Said Skip brightly.  
  
"Don't forget the damigeons!" Replied Amber.  
  
The group of hobbits ran about the crowd joyfully as everyone about them danced. Gandalf strutted his stuff around the platform. The same elf that had fainted at the start regained conciseness only to see Gandalf in front of her and collapse again. Lou grabbed another drink from the table and looked up to see a large bouncy castle before her. Shaped like a mighty castle, streamers fluttered from the turrets.  
  
"Come on!" She yelled and ran towards the castle.  
  
The hobbits followed bundling onto it in a huge tangle of legs and arms. They began to bounce madly. 'I'm So Excited' blasted out the speakers and they sang along at the top of their voices.  
  
"A Boom boom!" They cried with glee and waved their wands vigorously. "CHA CHING!"  
  
"And now my bred win!" Said Gandalf, the crowd going silent once more apart from a few random whoops and cheers. "You is all very special to my heart. You is knowing that ai?" The crowd cheered in agreement. "Well to show how special you is to me, I is going to give you a treat. You is going to be the first to hear my brand new song." There were screams of delight and Gandalf nodded, grinning with approval. "It is called," He waited for the quiet anticipation. "Just a Little, The Fool of a Took Remix." The noise was deafening.  
  
"Hey!" Cried Kym, who found her leg was slowly disappearing amongst the material of the castle. "What's happening?!"  
  
"We're going down!" Cried Amber.   
  
"Jump!" Cried Dezzy launching herself off the castle and running to the crowd as the first few notes started.  
  
The rest of the hobbits followed but Lou stood for a moment on the castle. She knew this. She knew that there was something she should know. The music. There was just something about it that was so familiar. Rose turned and beckoned her to follow. She shook he head and ran forward. She reached the edge of the castle but as it had started to deflate she was caught off balance and fell forward.  
  
Images flashed before her eyes. She saw a world that wasn't one that she knew. She saw her and her friends, all the hobbits, running about a large city. They held wands and laughed and skipped. They sat and watched TV. They we're sat at a table eating dinner. They ran about a market place. She saw big screens showing images of her own friends Merry, Pippin, Sam and Frodo. She sat before a box of moving pictures and yelled at it. She kicked a ball abut a garden while hobbits jumped about the place trying to stop her. She danced about a house that was hers and at the same time wasn't. As these scenes flashed past her eyes she remembered. She remembered the world that she came from. The world she came from! The world that she wasn't it now. With a cry she landed heavily.  
  
Lou sat up with a jolt in her bed. Her forehead felt damp and her heart raced. The sun shone through the arches of her room. Bird's song floated through the air. She breathed in deeply and lay back down on the pillows. There was a knock at the door and it opened. She looked up and saw Pippin's head peer around the door.  
  
"Morning sleepy." He said with a smile. "You better get up or you'll miss breakfast."   
  
"Breakfast?" She said sleepily.  
  
"Are you alight? You look a little flustered." Asked Pippin with concern.  
  
"Oh it's nothing." Replied Lou sitting up. "I just had the strangest dream."  
  
"Really? What was it about?" Pippin asked, interested.  
  
"You know," Said Lou thinking hard. "I really can't remember." 


End file.
